A "new dawn" as Danny Alexander is unseated as MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
FOR the first time in more than 10 years voters have elected a new MP to represent Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey.
Veteran Parliamentarian Danny Alexander had represented people in the constituency since 2005 but he was defeated this morning by Highland Council’s SNP leader Drew Hendry who is now the area’s voice in Westminster.
Mr Hendry took 28,838 votes. Liberal Democrat Mr Alexander secured 18,029 votes. It was more than Mr Alexander won in 2010 but not enough to hold back the SNP surge.
Mr Hendry said: "For all those people of Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey who have voted for change, this was their night. This is now their new dawn. It’s clear that in Scotland in this constituency people want progressive policies and an end to the harmful austerity dogma. It’s been a historic night and I aim to prove myself as a hard-working MP who would always put the needs of my constituents first."
Mr Alexander congratulated Mr Hendry and said: "Representing the constituency of Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey has been the greatest privilege and responsibility of my life. The Highlands of Scotland is a unique part of the United Kingdom. It’s the best part of the country and it has been an honour to serve the people and the communities. That honour of course now passes to Drew Hendry and I wish him well with fulfilling his commitments to this constituency. I will always be proud of the difference that I and my party have made to the country in the last five years and to the constituency over a very long period. I want to make sure that the tradition of Highland liberalism continues to speak for the Highlands in years to come and that’s a task that I dedicate myself to."
It was the a similar success story for the SNP across at Ross, Skye and Lochaber.
Charles Kennedy has represented people in the constituency for 32 years but he was defeated this morning by ex-banker Ian Blackford.
The result was 20,119 votes for Mr Blackford and 14,995 votes for Liberal Democrat Mr Kennedy.
The Highland’s other constituency seat, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, was won by SNP candidate Paul Monaghan with 15,831 votes.
The 49-year-old former Inverness Royal Academy pupil has worked as a policy expert for Northern Constabulary and is now director of Highland Homeless Trust in Inverness. He has a Ph.D in Social Policy earning him the right to be addressed as doctor. He took the seat from Liberal Democrat Lord John Thurso who has represented people in the constituency for the last 14 years. Lord Thurso won 11,987 votes.
Mr Hendry faced another five opponents for the seat. Donald MacLeod Boyd of the Scottish Christian Party Proclaiming Christ’s Lordship secured 422 votes. Les Durance, UK Independence Party (UKIP) won 1,236 votes. Edward Mountain, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party took 3,410 votes. Isla O’Reilly, Scottish Green Party, got 1367 votes and Mike Robb, Scottish Labour Party got 4,311 votes.
Mr Hendry’s campaign was centred around tackling Westminster for more money to build homes, to campaign for an end to fuel poverty, to work tirelessly to improve transport links and to network furiously to bring research and development jobs to the constituency. And all this while playing his part to "end the obscenity" of Trident.
The 50-year-old father-of-four has been serving the Aird and Loch Ness constituency since 2007 and has been the leader of Highland Council since 2012.
The new MP, whose wife Jackie designs snazzy dog coats for a living, relocated to the Black Isle from his Edinburgh birthplace in 2003.
He has been an aggressive campaigner for city and town centre improvements, working to pursue a ‘City Deal’ with the UK Government which could attract £300 million over 20 years for Inverness and the Highlands.
Mr Hendry, Mr Blackford and Dr Monaghan’s wins take the number of SNP MPs to represent the Highlands, Islands and Moray since the party was formed in 1934 to eight.
Donald Stewart was MP for the Western Isles from 1970-1987. Winnie Ewing was MP for Moray and Nairn between 1974 and 1979. Her daughter-in-law Margaret Ewing was MP for Moray between 1987 and 2001 and Angus Robertson has been MP for Moray ever since. Angus MacNeil has been MP for Western Isles since 2005. They both held onto their seats this morning.